Kalanchoe plant named ‘Ficalanfoster’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Kalanchoe  plant named ‘Ficalanfoster’, characterized by its compact, upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching plant habit; glossy dark green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; large double light red purple-colored flowers; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FICALANFOSTER’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Ficalanfoster’.

The new Kalanchoe is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching and freely-flowering Kalanchoe plants with large double flowers and attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Kalanchoe plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands in February, 2006 of a proprietary selection of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana identified as code number 7800 (06), not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana identified as code number 7880 (06), not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Kalanchoe plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Ficalanfoster’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Ficalanfoster’ as a new and distinct Kalanchoe plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and uniformly mounded plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching plant habit.     -   4. Glossy dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   6. Large double light red purple-colored flowers.     -   7. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Kalanchoe are ovate in shape         whereas leaves of plants of the female parent selection are         elliptical in shape.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have larger flowers than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have darker-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are more compact than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have smaller leaves than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have larger flowers than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have double flowers whereas         plants of the male parent selection have single flowers.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Cher’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,800. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of ‘Cher’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Kalanchoe were ovate in shape         whereas leaves of plants of ‘Cher’ were elliptical in shape.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Cher’.     -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and ‘Cher’ differed in flower         color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Kalanchoe plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Kalanchoe plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Ficalanfoster’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer and autumn in 10-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands and under conditions which closely approximate commercial Kalanchoe production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C., night temperatures ranged from 19° C. to 21° C. and light levels ranged from 10,000 lux to 50,000 lux. Plants received long day/short night conditions (more than 14 hours of light) for about three weeks then plants received photoinductive short day/long night conditions (minimum 14 hours darkness) until flowering. Plants were 17 weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Ficalanfoster’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Kalanchoe             blossfeldiana identified as code number 7800 (06), not             patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Kalanchoe             blossfeldiana identified as code number 7880 (06), not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About twelve days at             temperatures of 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 days at             temperatures of 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; greyish white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and uniformly             mounded plant habit; freely flowering habit with numerous             racemes positioned above the foliar plane; inverted triangle             with rounded crown; appropriate for 8 to 10-cm containers;             moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height at flowering.—About 15 cm.         -   Plant diameter at flowering.—About 17 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, usually about four to             five lateral branches develop per plant; pinching (removal             of the terminal apex) is not required but will enhance             lateral branch development. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 10 cm to 14 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm to 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1 cm to 2 cm.         -   Aspect.—Erect.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 137B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; generally symmetrical; mostly             flat; glossy.         -   Quantity per plant.—About 8 to 13 mature leaves and about 14             to 22 generative leaves.         -   Length.—About 10 cm.         -   Width.—About 8.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             coriaceous; succulent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully developed leaves, upper surface:             Close to 147A; venation, close to 147A. Developing and fully             developed foliage, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,             close to 147B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm to 8 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147A to 147B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Double flowers arranged singly             in racemes that arise from leaf axils; uniform and freely             flowering habit with usually about 15 open flowers and about             15 flower buds per lateral branch and more than 75 open             flowers and flower buds per plant; flowering continuously             for at least seven weeks.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Kalanchoe             initiate and develop flowers under short day/long night             conditions or during November and December in The             Netherlands; flower initiation and development can also be             induced under artificial short day/long conditions (at least             14 hours of darkness).         -   Time to flower.—Under short day/long night photoinductive             conditions, plants begin flowering in about 11 to 13 weeks;             actual time to flower is primarily dependent upon             temperature and light intensity.         -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production             longevity; plants maintain good foliage and flower substance             for about 58 days under interior environmental conditions;             individual flowers last about 25 days on the plant; flowers             persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 1.8 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Initially oblong, becoming tubular ovoid             with development. Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About             8 mm. Color: Close to 138B and 68C.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: About 32 to 38 in whorls; petals             imbricate. Length: About 1 cm to 1.2 cm. Width: About 6 mm             to 9 mm. Aspect: Flat to partially upright. Shape: Ovate.             Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 58C. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 58D and 62D.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Four in a single whorl. Length: About             9 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Oblong, pointed. Apex:             Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Upright.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 138B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 mm to 8 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Aspect: Erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 138B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Eight per             flower. Anther shape: Elliptic, flat. Anther length: About             0.3 mm. Anther color: Close to 150D. Amount of pollen:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 12A. Gynoecium: Pistil             number: Four per flower. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Style             length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 138D. Stigma             shape: Flat. Stigma color: Close to 8D. Ovary color: Close             to 138D.         -   Seeds.—Length: About 0.1 mm. Diameter: About 0.05 mm. Color:             Close to 166C. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about 16° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to     Kalanchoes. 

1. A new and distinct Kalanchoe plant named ‘Ficalanfoster’ as illustrated and described. 